2024 - 2025 Executive Committee

Chair: Janine Berstein
Co-Chair: Coco Kaminski
Secretary: Katie Dooley
Treasurer: Tara Salerno
Receiving Treasurer: Catherine Williams

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THE WALLINGFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION

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We’re excited to invite you to our Spring Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our PTO, this event is an opportunity for students of all ages to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.

Here’s what you need to know about the Book Fair, which will take place from Tuesday, March 25th - Friday, March 28th during your child’s Library special day and time:

Visit our Book Fair Homepage – If you want to learn more, get started with your eWallet or do any online shopping!
Create an eWallet – Our book fair offers eWallet, a safe and secure alternative to cash. Create a free account to add funds to so your child can select their books during the fair. Any unused funds can be spent online or to fund a future eWallet.
Share the Fair (Formally known as our “eFairy”) – This account helps us support any students in need and ensures that every child at school goes home with a book. Please consider a small donation to this account. It can be accessed when you add funds to your child’s eWallet account.

If you are interested in volunteering at the book fair during your child’s class time, sign up here. **Please note that all volunteers must have their up-to-date clearances on file with WSSD.

Shop after school! – We will have our WES Library open on Wednesday, March 26th from 4:30-6:00pm to shop the Book Fair as a family.

Bob Shea will be visiting WES on March 26th to share his new book, Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend with our AM Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders! Signed copies are available through Children's Book World here. Bob Shea is an acclaimed children’s book author who has written and illustrated over a dozen picture books, including the Dinosaur vs. series and Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. Shea’s characters have appeared on Playhouse Disney, PBS Kids, and Nick Jr.

Local author/illustrator Greg Pizzoli will visit our PM Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students on April 9th to share the first collection of stories in his new early reader series, Earl & Worm! Signed copies are available to purchase here. Greg Pizzoli is the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award-winning creator of the Baloney and Friends graphic novel series, as well as the author and illustrator of the award-winning picture books The Watermelon Seed, Good Night Owl, and The Book Hog. He is the illustrator of the Jack series written by Mac Barnett, and he also writes nonfiction books for kids, including The New York Times Best Illustrated Tricky Vic, and PIZZA! A Slice of History.

Award-winning author Jen Calonita visited our 3rd-5th grade students on March 19th with her newest book, Isle of Ever! Signed copies are available to purchase through Children's Book World here. Jen Calonita is the New York Times and USA Today-bestselling author of more than thirty books for middle grade readers and teens. She has written several series including the best-selling Fairy Tale Reform School and books in Disney’s New York Times best-selling A Twisted Tale series.

The Spring Spirit Wear Sale is on! Our latest collection features new designs and techniques: Applique Sweatshirts, Embroidered Towels, Pigment Dyed Tees, and a special edition 'Sky is the Limit' tee + tank. And by popular demand, PJs and Sweatpants are back! Stay comfy, even as the weather warms up. Need a new WES Cares shirt? Replacements are available.

The store is open until March 27th and orders will be delivered by April 7th, before Spring Break.

All proceeds benefit the WES PTO. For questions, contact Kristina Dechter or Suzanna Seltzer.

Thank you for supporting our school community!

All the children in WES land come to Mrs. Gaur’s Lemonade Stand! Lemonade and pretzel make a good snack, bring $2.00 in your backpack. Buy lemonade and pretzel and make your day sunny. Alex’s Lemonade Stand will get all your money. During lunch in the WES Cafeteria — April 7th, 8th & 9th — $1.00 for lemonade and $1.00 for soft pretzel.

The Sustainability Committee has started a recycling program for school or home items that are difficult to recycle. Please bring in these items to the front lobby instead of throwing them out: printer cartridges, batteries, backpacks, pencils and pencil pouches, glue sticks and bottles (empty), pens, markers, highlighters, and crayons. We will be utilizing the recycling program through Staples. The crayons will be re-molded into new crayons that are given to children's hospitals around the US! Let's help keep these items out of a landfill! For more information contact: Christina Forwood, Amanda Hemmer, Erin Stancill, Danielle Ruttenberg or Shannon Swierczek.

Mark Your Calendars for WES Garden Cleanup Day: April 27th
Spring is coming so the Greens and Grounds Committee has set the date for our spring cleanup. Please join with other WES friends on Sunday April 27, 1pm - 3pm while we clean up the gardens and plant a few new specimens around our lovely school. Bring the kiddos to help, too!
Please email Arianne Allan to sign up to help.

Calling all WES Volunteers! Join the PTO and make a difference next year! The Nominating Committee is looking for enthusiastic parents/guardians to join the WES PTO committees for the 2025-2026 school year.

It's a fantastic opportunity to:

Make an impact: Your contributions will help enrich our WES environment
Connect with the community: Build lasting friendships with volunteers and build a stronger school community
Have some fun!

Interested? Contact Ashley Drane, Arianne Allan, Maire Conrad, Suzanne Goodstein, Michele Henriques, or Lisa Zahn for more information.

The WES Yearbook is available to order online here! The deadline to order is April 11th, 2025.

Volunteer for Morning Car Line

SIGN UP HERE NOW for Car Line for the 2024-25 school year. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help with ensuring a smooth car drop off for all of our kids each morning from 8:15-8:45am, in the back loop of WES. If you have any questions, please contact Ted Benzing.